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9.. M. BICKNEL'L AND H. H. c. wEED.

FLOATING BEARING.

APPucATloN HLED 1uLY l5. 1191s.

l1919111911 Dee. 9,1919,

nto@ /76 fi We e0( 'UNITED STATES GEORGE M. RICKNELI., or DnrRorr, IviIcIIIGAN, AND IIUGI-I ncwnnn, or sT. Louis,

MIssoURI, AssIeNoRs To friincAnrnR CARBURETER coMrANYgor srIgouIsMIs'- soURI, A CORPORATION or MISSOURI.

rLoATING BEARING.l

Specification of LettersV Patent.

Patemefi nec. 9, i919.

Application filed July 15, 1918. Serial No. 245,010. j

St. Louis, Missouri, respectively, havel in-` vented certain new and useful Improvements in Floating Bearings, of which the following is a specification. Y

This invention relates to attachments for bearings adapted for application to rotating shafts, and more particularly to shafts which are subjected to high speed rotation. The primary object of the invention is the prevention of the whipping of shafts.

The generally accepted idea of the socalled whipping isthe tendency 'v of high speed shafting to travel, in response to centrifugal force, in a circle larger than the diameter of the shaft. This circular travel is in addition to the rotation of the shaft under applied power. The shafts are ordinarly held in fixed bearings, generally lat least two in number, and the portions ofthe shaft which are subjected to the whipping action are located betweenthe fixed bearings. The circle oftravel of the whipping portions would manifestly be around a center which is the center of the shaft when it is at rest. It will be very readily understood that the whipping action is exceedingly destructive to the fixed bearings and to the shaft itself.

As before stated, a whipping shaft travels in a circle larger than its own diameter. Our conception is that any discouragement of the tendency of the shaft to travel in a true circle, by destroying or retarding its `continuity of movement, or impulse in a fixed circular direction, will tend to cause the shaft to more nearly assume its normal straight alinement.

The invention is especially adapted for automobile shafting but it is to be clearly understood that it may be advantageously used on any high speed shafts. In automobile drive shafts a very large percentage of the destructive wearon universal joints is occasioned by shaft whipping. This wear has caused the adoption of heavier drive shafts, of abnormal diameter,'which manifestly do not Whip to so great an extent, be- I c*cause less resilient, but has occasioned a very material increase 4in Acost ofV production. These heavier shafts are also objectionable in that they add to the burden of theuniversal joint. With the use of our invention, a long drive shaft of normal diameter will showv a f smaller degreeY of whipping tendency, and consequently cause less wear upon the Vbear- `ings, than will a shaft of the same length and of abnormallylarge dia-meter.V

I/Ve have observed that the whipping action isbetter retarded Vby opposing unequal resistance to the tendency .of theshaft to swing in a circle. A fixed resistance Yof thetendency to travel to the left, for instance, should be met byeither a greater'or less resistance to travel to the right. Moreover, it is obvious that, inorder for the shaft totravel in a circular path, the whipping portion must move upwardly and downwardly, at some point in the circle. This resistance may be applied as desired, but it is to be noted that, if equal resistance is moderately appliedto movement `in all directions,

rATENroFFIca j coV the whipping .action will not be entirelyrf eliminated. n

Our invention therefore, by equal resistance to shaft movement in different directions, renders a true circular or whipping movement impossible, offering at the sameY time no resistance to the rotative movement within the bearings.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, we have illustrated a preferred embodiment of our invention, and have chosen to illustrate the invention applied to the drive shaft of an automobile.

In the drawings Y Figure 1 is a plan view of the device applied to a shaft, shown in section; andV Fig. 2 is aside elevation.

The invention comprises preferably a split bearing,v adapted to surround the shaft 2. Pivotally supported at 3, to any convenient part of the automobile, suchas a cross member, is a bar-4, provided with a slot 5,`

through which Vextends a-bolt 6 carrying the spring 7 surrounds the outer portion of the providing unbolt 6, and tends to press the bar 4 against the cross-member, whereby any vertical movement of said bar will be frictionally resisted. Adjustment of the degree of pressure of the spring 7, may be effected by manipulation of the nut on the bolt 6.

' The bearing l is provided with a shank 8 which is pivotally connected at 9 to the bar 4. A spring 10 is connected to the crossmember, or other convenient support, and is connected to the bar 4, at a point remote from its pivotal point. The spring 10 imparts either a pressure or a pull upon the bar 4.

From the foregoing it is clear that resistance is always applied to any vertical ory lateral movement of the shaft. Vertical movement of the shaft causes the bar 4 to slide upwardly or downwardly, and the spring 7, pressing the bar against the support, causes a frictional resistance to this vertical movement. Lateral movement of the shaft to the right is resisted by the spring l0, assuming that the spring is exerting a pull upon the bar 4, while lateral movement to the left is unresisted, as will be clear. lf the spring 10 is exerting a pressure upon the bar 4, of course lateral movement to the right is free and movement to the left is resisted.

It is obvious that in actual practice of the invention, lubricating devices, such as oil cups, should be applied to all points where there is frictional contact. Since these devices form no part of our invention, they are not shown in all instances where they would be necessary.

Various modifications of the invention may be suggested to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, but we desire to secure by Letters Patent all such embodiments thereof as fall fairly within the scope of the appended claims.

It is to be understood that, while we have shown a member mounted to assume a vertical position adjacent the shaft, the member might just as well be mounted to extend laterally above or below the shaft. In this event, the lateral movement of the member, the bearing, or the shaft, as herein described, both in the specification and claims, might properly be termed a vertical movement, and vice-versa. The appended claims cover this mechanical equivalent.

What we claim is:-

l. A device of the character described comprising, in combination with a rotatable shaft, a floatable bearing engaging the shaft, an element pivoted to rest adjacent the bearing and pivoted thereto, and means for resisting movement of the bearing.

2. A device of the character described comprising, in combination with a rotatable shaft, a loatable bearing engaging the shaft, an element pivoted to rest adjacent the bearing and pivoted thereto, means for resisting vertical movement of the bearing, and separate means for resisting lateral movement thereof.

3. A device of the character described comprising, in combination with a rotatable shaft, a floatable bearing engaging the shaft, an element pivoted to rest adjacent the bearing and pivoted thereto, means for'resisting vertical movement of the bearing, and separate means for unequally resisting lateral movement thereof in opposite directions.

In testimony whereof we afix our signatures.

GEORGE M. BICKNELL. HUGH H. C. WEED. 

